HGP Nightly News – Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs Anil Nandlall has urged parents and guardians to use the Because We Care cash grant strictly for school-related expenses, as the government begins distributing the latest installment of the programme.
Speaking during his weekly programme, Issues In the News, Nandlall said each child enrolled in a public or private school will receive a total of $85,000. That includes a $60,000 cash grant, a $20,000 transportation grant, and a $5,000 uniform grant.
He said about 206,000 families across the country are expected to benefit.
Nandlall reminded parents that the money is intended to support children throughout the academic year.
“The grant is to be used for the children’s education,” he said.
He warned that the money should not be spent on items unrelated to school.
“This grant is not intended for you to go and buy a stereo system, at Courts, or a TV system, or for any purpose other than your children’s educational expenditures,” Nandlall said.
The Attorney General described the programme as unique in the Caribbean, saying he was unaware of any similar initiative in the region.
“This programme is unique. It is exceptional. And I dare say, it is one of a kind,” he said.
Nandlall noted that the programme first started in 2010, before Guyana began producing oil, with a $10,000 cash grant. It has since increased to $85,000 per child.
He also used the programme to criticise the former APNU+AFC government, saying the coalition abolished the grant after taking office in 2015.
According to Nandlall, the opposition has previously accused the government of distributing the grant in a discriminatory manner. He rejected those claims, saying the programme is administered through the Ministry of Education and based on school registration records.
“How can there be the basis for discrimination?” he asked.
Nandlall said he had repeatedly challenged the opposition to identify a child who qualified for the grant but did not receive it, but said no such evidence was produced.
He argued that the allegations were baseless and misleading, insisting that the grant is available to eligible children across the country.
